Comments

Great fight! The rumors about Yarde having a weak chin were definitely not true, he took a lot of damage from Kovalev in this fight. Yarde should have taken the step aside money, he definitely has the ability as a contender but he didn't have the experience or stamina to go deep in the fight versus Kovalev. Kovalev is in the final stage of his career but his jab looked great in this fight. Credit to Kovalev for digging deep after nearly being stopped given his reputation as a front runner. His first knockout after eight rounds. Looking forward to Canelo vs. Kovalev, hopefully Kovalev has a good camp with a quick turn around and we see a good fight.

You say that like it's a done deal, would be a very interesting fight, PPV for sure, but it's not guaranteed is it? I would have said Canelo should stay at 160 and fight Andrade in unification fight, but I suppose money talks.

Seems like it is more or less the formalities of getting the details done. The big problem before was putting up enough money with Yarde's step aside money and Kovalev's purse, but that isn't an issue anymore. Both sides want the fight and have something to gain from it. It will be DAZN in the US if it happens, not PPV. I don't know what the arrangement would be in the UK

There have been fights we've had to pay for over here that have been free in the US, but if it is just on DAZN, and not PPV, then I would imagine just like the card in Mexico tonight, Sky would cover the fight. Both fighters have good reason to want the fight, because ifyiu are either fighter, you must be very confident you win.

Have Canelo's past few DAZN fights been PPV in the UK? I think that would be a good judge of if it will be PPV in the UK. The fight makes a lot more sense for Canelo right now than the Andrade fight does. Kovalev is a bigger name than Andrade, it boosts Canelo's legacy further, and Kovalev has an action style. For Kovalev, it's either this or wait when he is aging to try to get the Gvozdyk vs. Beterbiev winner which wouldn't pay as much, so why not go for it versus Canelo?

No, only the Golovkin fights, but Jacobs, Fielding etc aren't the big money fights that Kovalev would be, that's why I assumed it would be PPV. I agree it makes sense for both fighters, Andrade may or may not be higher risk because he is a lot smaller and less dangerous but is younger, fresher, may or may not be a better boxer, but although he has a belt, so does Kovalev, it is the chance to win a belt in another weight, build his legacy like you said, and make more money, so Kovalev is higher reward. I wonder if Andrade will fight the winner of GGG vs Derevyanchenko, what better options are there? Charlo is with PBC, Saunders is at 168 for now, Munguia isn't moving up just yet, it would be a unification fight, in house as well.

I think if Canelo beats Kovalev and Golovkin beats Derevyanchenko we'll get the third match between Canelo and Golovkin, there will be enough pressure for it. I think Canelo would be more willing to fight Andrade than Golovkin but I think Andrade will have to sit on the shelf or fight someone like Saunders because he's not a desirable opponent.

Does Canelo want Golovkin again though? And will he gain lean muscle for Kovalev? How will he do the weight in terms of moving up and then coming back down?, because would he go down to 168 and fight Smith or Saunders? I know Andrade is relatively low reward, but he has a belt, and sometimes fighters take the risky option that isn't necessarily high reward, for their pride, less often than not, but it's still an option. If he moves up, Munguia might fight Andrade, if Golovkin has a belt, that makes more sense, still, what if the IBF have ordered another fight and the Andrade fight is his best option? Hopefully Andrade won't be another Russell, Stevenson, where he defends his belts, but isn't in many big fights.

I don't think he wants to fight Golovkin again but I think they'll be able to make it worth his while. I think we've gone over this before but I don't think Canelo will try to bulk up versus Kovalev. If it happens when it is supposed to it will only be in three months. Not enough to gain significant mass. Whether Canelo fights Andrade or not I don't know, but I can tell you it won't be Andrade vs. Munguia. The moves Zanfer has made with Munguia's career have shown they want to cash him out on Canelo or Golovkin rather than try to build him up. I don't think the IBF will order anything given Derevyanchenko was supposed to be the mandatory, but you never know with the IBF. What you are saying is theoretically possible. I think Andrade will get the big fight later on versus Canelo, but he doesn't do himself any favors with his style and name value.

Possible, but it is personal, which is bad for negotiations, still, Canelo might take the fight for enough money, knowing the biggest difference is the age aspect which is well in his favour. Yes we dicussed that, and I agree, he won't try to match Kovalev for size, and not just because he doesn't have enough time, but he might gain some mass, and making 160 wouldn't be as easy, not saying he won't come back down, but it might be a struggle to get back down straight after the Kovalev fight, and he has other options, because there are fights for him at 168. Such as? He fights often, Munguia, and given that making 154 is obviously touch and go, why is he still at 154 if his handlers want to cash him out against Canelo or GGG? And logically, why would a 22 year old fighter need to cash out? He isn't like Andrade style wise, he is an entertaining fighter, he could be built up and be in a lot of big fights in the future? I'd say it is old fighters like Joyce who might want to cash out, because they are under time pressure. Andrade's style is his style, we will never agree on Andrade as a fighter, I agree he could be more aggressive, but fighters should listen to their trainers, and although I understand it's important, fighters just can't think about money and being marketable when they are in the ring and being tested, they have to listen to what their trainer tells them.

Personally, if I were Canelo I wouldn't bother versus Smith. He is kind of like the Danny Jacobs of Super Middleweight, really big and has skills but a good part of his success is his size. Eventually, he will have issues with the weight and will have to move up at 6'3. I would like to see Bivol vs. Smith for Smith's title if Bivol signs with Matchroom. Zanfer has tried to match Munguia against Canelo and Golovkin for their upcoming bouts, if he fights one of them it is a huge payday, worth more than him making many title defenses versus low-level opponents or grinding as a contender at Middleweight. Look at the matchmaking Munguia has had recently and he nearly lost versus Hogan at home. They are trying to protect his zero, having him be a title raises his profile though. He can keep going on after Canelo or Golovkin, but if they wanted to build him up they would have given him more challenges after Liam Smith, but they didn't. Andrade should be more aggressive, knockouts sell and everyone knows that. If he was fighting top-level opposition and winning with his style that would be one thing, but coasting versus lower level guys is entirely uninteresting.

I wouldn't either, but some fighters have that pride, they want to keep taking the hard fights. Smith and Jacobs are nowhere near as relient on size as Hurd, Easter. Smith is a defensive puncher, counter puncher, it is harder to get rid of light heavyweights than super middleweights, but when it comes to the boxing IQ aspect, it's nothing to do with size, Jacobs and Smith have proven that their skills are much bigger factors than their size. I get that, I am not saying 10 fights against Hogans and Alloteys is more money than one fight against Golovkin or Canelo, I was just saying, as he keeps fighting, improving, these fights can be built up, and he has a better shot of winning, and one thing I don't buy is that it's now or never, I understand Golovkin is old and Canelo has a lot of weight options, and a few years down the line those fights might not be options, but by then there will be other fighters who are draws, who are big money opponents.

Correct me if I'm wrong, you are saying Munguia is what he is, is not that good, not got a lot of improvement ahead of him, taking more time to keep winning isn't going to improve him as a fighter or build his reputation, so they might as well just cash him out now? That makes sense, but I think Munguia, although he isn't the beast he was made to look like against Ali, is better than we saw if him in his last 2 fights, I think he fights too often and is killing himself to make a weight he doesn't need to make, he will improve, but it is more than likely a Canelo or Golovkin payday wouldn't ruin his career, so I suppose his handlers aren't putting his career on the line.

Two questions, if Munguia is so protected, why does he fight so often? And if they are trying to put him in against Canelo and Golovkin, why is he still at 154? He admitted he was drained against Hogan.

There isn't much more we can say on Andrade, agree to disagree, but one thing I will say is that I am talking like a trainer and you are talking like a promoter, do you agree on that?

I agree that they aren't as reliant as Hurd and Easter, but having a large reach, height, and weight advantage are noteworthy for Jacobs and Smith. They both can punch down on guys from range. Right, and I agree that if they wanted to build him they should do what you are saying. I wouldn't say it is now or never either but it is Zanfer, Munguia's promoter, that is making it a now or never.

I think Munguia can improve if they built him up, but Zanfer, his promoter, wants to cash him out on Canelo/Golovkin while he is undefeated. I don't know what they will do with him after that, but I'm sure he won't just retire.

It is possible to fight often and be protected, I would say Farmer has been protected fighting low level guys as well, for example. I have no idea why he is taking this last fight at Super Welterweight, it makes no sense other than trying to get a final defense out of it.

I agree with what you are saying, if you are Andrade's trainer you'd just want to focus on winning and maximizing his potential to win, which is what you have been suggesting he does. As you said though, that doesn't line up with what will get him the big paydays the quickest.